Crow Hollow
Crow Hollow is a settlement in 1676 where the settlers and Native Americans are walking a thin line between war and peace. A wealthy landowner, Sir Benjamin Cotton, is murdered during an Indian raid, and his toddler daughter, Mary, is carried away. His widow, Prudence, suffers greatly from her losses and writes an account of the raid, which is of great interest to James Bailey, an agent of the Crown sent to Boston to investigate the murder. When James’s Indian companion dies mysteriously, Prudence convinces him that she can travel with him, as she is knowledgeable in the Nipmuk language. She is convinced that her daughter is still alive and vows to find her, against the wishes of her sister and her minister husband, who had taken her in following the tragedy. This unlikely pair sets off, facing many dangers from travel and those who wished them to cease their quest.
I found this story to be both compelling and an authentic representation of the period following the Indian Wars. The characters are well thought out, and the interactions between them are well done and kept me interested as to who had the most to gain by the murder of Sir Benjamin. The ongoing plotlines of finding little Mary alive and getting this mystery solved make this book a page-turner. I would recommend it to historical fiction readers.
